Thermoelectric vehicle engine air cooler

ABSTRACT

Engine air may be cooled at any point in the intake passageways by means of a remote thermoelectric temperature control unit which cools a liquid, gas or other coolant in a coolant circuit, the coolant then contacting the circuit to a point in the intake passageways where engine air is cooled by means of a coolant to gas heat exchanger. A reservoir of cold coolant, or a cold sink, may be cooled substantially so that when the engine demands an increased supply of air a reservoir of cooled coolant is available. Engine air may be cooled in the ram or scoop, in the cold air intakes, in an intercooler, in a turbocharger, supercharger, chargecooler, throttle body, carburetor or at any other point in the engine air intake passageways.

COPYRIGHT NOTICE

A portion of the disclosure of this patent document contains material which is subject to copyright protection. The copyright owner has no objection to the facsimile reproduction by anyone of the patent document or the patent disclosure, as it appears in the Patent and Trademark Office patent file or records, but otherwise reserves all copyright rights whatsoever. 37 CFR 1.71(d).

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

N/A.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates generally to vehicle engines, and specifically to cooling of engine intake air.

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY FUNDED RESEARCH

This invention was not made under contract with an agency of the US Government, nor by any agency of the US Government.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Internal combustion engine performance is subject to a number of factors. One known factor is the temperature of the engine air. In general, cooler air provides an increase in engine performance at a wide range of temperatures. This effect applies to a number of different types of internal combustion engines, even those equipped with a wide range of performance enhancing devices.

A number of types of engine air cooling devices are known in the prior art. Intercoolers and chargecoolers of a number of types are known.

A search in the US patent records shows very little of interest.

U.S. Pat. No. 7,055,499 issued to Kuwano et al on Jun. 6, 2006 teaches an electronically controlled throttle body, but no structures similar to the present invention.

U.S. Pat. No. 7,032,389 issued to Cauchy on Apr. 25, 2006 shows a thermoelectric unit with heat sinks, but no application to vehicles.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,807,811 issued on Oct. 26, 2004 to Lee shows a radiator design with liquids acting inside the radiator to carry out heat transfer, but does not directly discuss intake air for the engine.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,779,348 issued to Taban on Aug. 24, 2004 shows a double Peltier effect device (thermoelectric units) designed for air flow.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,758,193 issued to Kincaid on Jul. 6, 2004, shows some sort of air passage for a vehicle engine, with a plurality of thermoelectric nits and heat sinks disposed to directly cool air flowing through the passage. However, there is no involvement of liquid cooling by the thermoelectric units and in fact, since the device teaches that the thermoelectric units are disposed directly at the passage and use direct air cooling, it teaches away from combination of itself with any device which does show cooling of a liquid for indirect cooling of air, and away from use of a reservoir of coolant.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,580,025 issued to Guy on Jun. 17, 2003 teaches another system for direct cooling or heating of air by thermoelectric units. This item teaches that more efficient cooling/heating of air by making the heat sinks of the thermoelectric unit serve as impellers. However, since it does teach towards more effective direct heating of air, it teaches away from any combination with a device showing coolants for indirect cooling of air.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,223,539 issued to Bell on May 1, 2001 teaches a system with rotors used as heat exchangers to cool a liquid, however, the device teaches directly away from cooling of engine coolants because it teaches cooling of a passenger seat, and furthermore lacks any liquid-air heat exchanger, a necessary component of the present invention. This device would have its fundamental principles of operation altered by conversion to use of air cooling instead of seat cooling.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,837,928 to Zinke on Nov. 17, 1998 takes a very different tack, teaching that waste heat from engine coolant liquids (glycol, etc) may be used to generate electricity. It does not deal with cooling of engine intake air. U.S. Pat. No. 5,625,245 to Bass on Apr. 29, 1997 is somewhat similar, using exhaust gases to produce electricity for the vehicle.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,570,667 to Gray et al on Nov. 5, 1996 teaches a system for warming engine fluids and gases, in order to aid low temperature starting. The fundamental principles of operation of this device would be turned on their head if the device were to be used for cooling instead of warming, as warming is a function of starting and engine while cooling is a function of power assist while running.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,547,019 issued to lacullo on Aug. 20, 1996 teaches an intercooler which relies upon direct cooling of air, rather than on cooling a reservoir of liquid which in turn cools the engine air. It thus teaches away from systems using reservoirs of liquid and cannot be combined with such systems.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,269,146 to Kerner on Dec. 14, 1993, teaches cooling of an insulated chamber (a refrigerator) by means of a liquid which passes into the refrigerator, the liquid being cooled by a thermoelectric device. However, this device lacks any passing of engine air past the liquid, and since it teaches cooling of a closed insulated chamber, it teaches away from cooling of moving air, and further teaches against cooling of engine air, and since it teaches away from engine air cooling devices, it cannot be combined with engine air cooling devices.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,782,664 to Sterna et al on Nov. 8, 1988, teaches thermoelectric device heat exchange arrangements.

None of the prior art teaches contacting engine air with a liquid-air heat exchanger cooled by a gas or liquid coolant in turn cooled by a thermoelectric device.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

General Summary

The present invention teaches that engine air may be cooled at any point in the intake passageways by means of a remote thermoelectric temperature control unit which cools a liquid, gas or other coolant in a coolant circuit, the coolant then contacting the circuit to a point in the intake passageways where engine air is cooled by means of a coolant to gas heat exchanger. The device and method allow creation of a reservoir of cold coolant, or a cold sink, a solid device which has been cooled substantially. When the engine demands an increased supply of air (for example if the throttle is opened widely) then a reservoir of cooled liquid/gas is available to meet the demand.

Engine air may be cooled in the ram or scoop, in the cold air intakes, in an intercooler, in a turbocharger, supercharger, chargecooler, throttle body, carburetor or at any other point in the engine air intake passageways. The device may in embodiments include a short section of air intake air passageway or even the entire air intake, which may be retrofitted to a vehicle in place of a short section of original equipment air passageway.

Summary in Reference to Claims

It is therefore a first aspect, advantage, objective and embodiment of the invention to provide a vehicle engine air cooling device comprising:

-   -   an engine air conduit having a first heat exchanger disposed         therein with such engine air contacting the first heat         exchanger;     -   a first coolant flow circuit having first and second portions,         the first portion of the first coolant flow circuit contacting         the first heat exchanger; and     -   a first thermoelectric device, the second portion of the first         coolant flow circuit contacting the first thermoelectric device.

It is therefore a second aspect, advantage, objective and embodiment of the invention to provide a vehicle engine air cooling device, wherein the first thermoelectric device further comprises:

-   -   a hot side and a cool side, wherein the second portion of the         first coolant flow circuit contacts the cool side of the first         thermoelectric device.

It is therefore another aspect, advantage, objective and embodiment of the invention to

-   -   provide a vehicle engine air cooling device, wherein the first         heat exchanger further comprises:     -   inlet and outlet ports, the inlet port and the outlet port         operatively connected by the first portion of the first coolant         flow circuit.

It is therefore another aspect, advantage, objective and embodiment of the invention to provide a vehicle engine air cooling device, wherein the first thermoelectric device further comprises:

-   -   at least one electricity supply wire.

It is therefore another aspect, advantage, objective and embodiment of the invention to provide a vehicle engine air cooling device, further comprising:

-   -   a first coolant return line from the outlet port of the heat         exchanger to an inlet port of the first thermoelectric device.

It is therefore another aspect, advantage, objective and embodiment of the invention to provide a vehicle engine air cooling device, further comprising:

-   -   a first coolant feed line from an outlet port of the first         thermoelectric device to the inlet port of the first heat         exchanger.

It is therefore another aspect, advantage, objective and embodiment of the invention to provide a vehicle engine air cooling device, wherein the first thermoelectric device is disposed remote from the engine air conduit.

It is therefore another aspect, advantage, objective and embodiment of the invention to provide a vehicle engine air cooling device further comprising:

-   -   a heat sink disposed on the hot side of the first thermoelectric         device.

It is therefore another aspect, advantage, objective and embodiment of the invention to provide a vehicle engine air cooling device, further comprising:

-   -   a second heat exchanger disposed on the cool side of the first         thermoelectric device.

It is therefore another aspect, advantage, objective and embodiment of the invention to provide a vehicle engine air cooling device, wherein the engine air conduit further comprises one member of group consisting of: air intake, air intake scoop, air intake ram, air filter, carburetor, intercooler, chargecooler, supercharger, turbocharger, other engine air ducts and combinations thereof.

It is therefore another aspect, advantage, objective and embodiment of the invention to provide a vehicle engine air cooling device, further comprising:

-   -   a second thermoelectric module and a third portion of the first         coolant flow circuit, the third portion of the first coolant         flow circuit contacting the second thermoelectric device.

It is therefore another aspect, advantage, objective and embodiment of the invention to provide a vehicle engine air cooling device, a second thermoelectric module and a second coolant flow circuit, the second coolant flow circuit having a first portion contacting the second thermoelectric device.

It is therefore another aspect, advantage, objective and embodiment of the invention to provide a vehicle engine air cooling device further comprising:

-   -   a second heat exchanger in the engine air conduit.

It is therefore another aspect, advantage, objective and embodiment of the invention to provide a vehicle engine air cooling device, further comprising:

-   -   a coolant reservoir operatively connected to the first coolant         flow circuit and having a first state in which cooled coolant is         stored in the coolant reservoir and having a second state in         which cooled coolant is taken from the reservoir to the first         heat exchanger.

It is therefore another aspect, advantage, objective and embodiment of the invention to provide a method of cooling vehicle engine air the method comprising the steps of:

-   -   a) contacting a coolant with the cool side of a thermoelectric         device having hot and cool sides;     -   b) contacting the coolant with a coolant-gas heat exchanger;     -   c) contacting engine air with the coolant-gas heat exchanger.

It is therefore another aspect, advantage, objective and embodiment of the invention to provide a method of cooling vehicle engine air further comprising:

-   -   d) recirculating the coolant from the coolant-gas heat exchanger         to the cool side of the thermoelectric device.

It is therefore another aspect, advantage, objective and embodiment of the invention to provide a method of cooling vehicle engine air further comprising:

-   -   e) storing coolant cooled by the thermoelectric device in         step a) for a period of time prior to contacting the coolant         with the coolant-gas heat exchanger in step b).

It is therefore yet another aspect, advantage, objective and embodiment of the invention to provide an improved engine air cooler comprising:

-   -   a thermoelectric device;     -   a coolant circuit having a first portion contacting the         thermoelectric device and having a second portion disposed in an         engine air path.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a first embodiment of the device, showing a remote thermoelectric unit, a cold sink, and a coolant to gas heat exchanger.

FIG. 2 is an exploded orthogonal view of a remote temperature control unit embodiment of the invention.

INDEX TO REFERENCE NUMERALS

Cooling fan 102 First fan electricity supply line 104 Second fan electricity supply line 106 Heat sink 108 Thermoelectric (Seebeck-Peltier) module 120 First T.E. module electricity supply line 122 Second te module electricity supply line 124 Reservoir/cold sink 126 Reservoir insulation 127 Reservoir inlet port one 128 Reservoir outlet port 132 Heat exchanger to reservoir coolant supply line 134 Reservoir to pump coolant supply line 136 Pump 138 Pump first electricity supply 140 Pump second electricity supply line 142 Pump to heat exchanger coolant supply line 144 Heat exchanger outlet port 146 Heat exchanger inlet port 148 Engine air conduit/insulation 150 Coolant passage 156 Unitary air passage 160 Cooling Fan 302 Heat sink 308 Heat sink fins 310 Thermoelectric device 320 Lateral insulation/TEC 321 Cold side ports 323 Reservoir/Cold sink 326 Reservoir insulation 331 Reservoir insulation cover 333 Insulation port holes 335 Cover holes 337

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a first embodiment of the device, showing a remote thermoelectric unit, a cold reservoir, and a coolant to gas heat exchanger.

In general, the thermoelectric module 120 will cool a liquid or gas coolant in a first portion of a liquid/gas coolant circuit, which coolant will then go to a second portion of the coolant circuit and cool engine air contacting an air passageway. The term “contacting with” is used herein to indicate any of the normal methods of heat transfer in a heat exchanger: passing fluid or gas through a heat exchanger, passing it across a surface of a heat exchanger, passing it across fins, fingers, vanes, protrusions and the like, passing it through a passageway and so on. Heat exchangers may be passageways having working coolants about them, finned arrangements, heat sink type devices with numerous fins, fingers, vanes, protrusions, passageways or the like, surfaces of all types and so on.

Thermoelectric (Seebeck-Peltier) module 120 has heat sink 108 which is cooled by cooling fan 102: heat sink 108 may have surfaces which receive heat from thermoelectric module 120 and radiate that heat away or conduct that heat into the air aided by air motions induced by cooling fan 102. First and second fan electricity supply lines 104, 106 may provide electricity to the fan, though the fan may also be mechanically driven by the motive mechanical power of the engine. Heat sink fins 110 or similar features such as fingers, thin surfaces, radiators or the like may be the surfaces past which air circulates in order to cool the heat sink 108 and thus the thermoelectric module 120.

Thermoelectric modules use electricity to generate a temperature gradient by means of the Seebeck-Peltier effect. Thermoelectric module 120 has first and second electricity supply lines 122 and 124, when actuated, the result is that thermoelectric module 120 will develop a hot side and a cold side.

On the cooled side of the thermoelectric module 120, heat is removed and thus a device at that location may be cooled. Reservoir/cold sink 126 may be situated at that location so as to be cooled by the thermoelectric module 120. The term “cold sink” refers to a device designed to have heat rejected from it by the thermoelectric module or another element, which effect may be carried out either instantly or across a period of time, that is, the reservoir 126 may be precooled over a period of time and then used as a sink for quick rejection of a great deal of heat in a short period of time, thus functioning as a cold sink across time. On the other hand, it is anticipated that this pre-cooling may not be necessary as the reservoir may be cooled quickly and efficiently at a given time by means of the thermoelectric module 120, thus functioning as a cold sink in another way. Reservoir insulation 127 may act to maintain low temperatures in the reservoir and may in embodiments serve as a cover for the device.

In other embodiments, the cold sink may be separated from the reservoir: the cold sink will be cooled and will pass cooled coolant to the reservoir disposed elsewhere in order to maintain the reservoir in a precooled condition.

Operative liquid/gas coolant connections allow coolant to pass freely between the different portions of the coolant circuit, particularly the portion at which coolant is cooled by the thermoelectric module 120 and the portion at which the coolant accepts heat from the engine air.

Reservoir/cold sink inlet port and outlet ports 128, 132 may be operatively respectively connected to heat exchanger to reservoir coolant supply line 134 and reservoir to pump coolant supply line 136, allowing circulation of the coolant liquid/gas within. Pump 138 may be used to force such circulation, however, in embodiments the circulation may be provided by other means. Pump 138 may be any common type of pump, and may be electrically driven by pump first and second electricity supply lines 140, 142 or may in embodiments be mechanically driven, for example by the motive power of the vehicle engine.

Pump to heat exchanger coolant supply line 144 may complete the coolant circuit in embodiments having a pump.

Other components may be in the coolant loop in embodiments: additional reservoirs and colds sinks (and directly or indirectly additional thermoelectric modules) in serial or parallel relationship to the first thermoelectric module 120, additional pumps may be used and other devices added in embodiments of the invention.

The second portion of the device is located at an engine air conduit or engine air 11 passageway through which air passes on its way to the engine. This portion of the device has a portion of the coolant circuit which cools the engine air by means of a coolant-air heat exchanger (gas-air heat exchanger or liquid-air heat exchanger). Heat exchanger outlet port 146 and inlet port 148 may serve to allow free circulation of the coolant between the various portion of the circuit.

Engine air conduit/insulation 150 may be the ram or scoop, a portion of the cold air engine intakes, an intercooler, a turbocharger, supercharger, chargecooler, throttle body, carburetor or at any other point in the engine air intake passageways, and may be insulated in embodiments.

First air passage 160 may be defined by coolant passage 156. Unitary air passage 160 may be provided in alternative embodiments in which the coolant-air heat exchanger is a section of air intake passageway dimensioned and configured for easy addition to an existing system (a retrofit). For example, the coolant-air heat exchanger may be a section of air passage of approximately the same dimension or configuration as existing sections of ram, scoop, engine intakes, intercooler, turbocharger, supercharger, chargecooler, throttle body, carburetor or any other part of the engine air intake passageways, so as to allow easy installation between such section of the engine air intake passages or actual replacement of a section of the passage by the coolant-air heat exchanger.

FIG. 2 is an exploded orthogonal view of a remote temperature control unit embodiment of the invention. Cooling fan 302 may be seen to be a standard low voltage fan such as may be used in consumer electronic devices or vehicles, or it may be a specially designed device for optimized cooling of heat sink 308. In general heat sink 308 and other heat sinks and heat exchangers of the invention may be expected to be metal having excellent conduction properties, however, any material now known or later developed may be used. Heat sink fins 310 act to reject heat from thermoelectric module 320 into air passing over them, either under the influence of fan 302 or simply due to vehicle motions, a source of air motion usable in any of the heat sinks and heat exchangers of the invention either in conjunction with fans or in place of fans. Thus in embodiments, all or some cooling fans may be eliminated.

Heat sink cover 333 may provide physical protection of the device from impact, oils and dirt, and may in addition have thermal insulating properties. It may be made of metal, wood, high strength polymers, composites and the like.

Thermoelectric device 320 may be a conventional thermoelectric module as known in the art, however, it may also be a multiplicity of small modules in a number too great for emplacement in an air passageway of a vehicle engine. It may also be a larger module than may be employed in a vehicle intake air passageway for the same reasons discussed earlier: remote location of the device from the air passage. Finally, any type of thermoelectric module now know or later developed will function in the device of the invention.

Lateral insulation 321 is designed to handle the sharp temperature gradient across the two different sides of the thermoelectric module (one side hot and one side cold, separated by a small thickness) and thus usually is a highly insulating material, however, in embodiments this may be altered in both material and configuration.

Cold side ports 323 may protrude through insulation port holes 335 and cover holes 337 of reservoir insulation 331 and reservoir insulation cover 333 (which may be designed with impact properties and dirt control in mind as well as or instead of insulation properties), or may be recessed therein with coolant conduits projecting thereinto. Reservoir/cold sink 326 may be a solid-coolant heat exchanger with numerous internal passages or it may be a solid block or it may be a hollow volume designed to hold a volume of chilled coolant. The dimensions of the device specifically including coolant volume/pre-cooled volume may be quite large, as the device does not need to sit at the engine air intake system but may be disposed elsewhere within or without the vehicle and may be used in conjunction with multiple other components of the system such as multiple thermoelectric modules, multiple fans, conduits and so on.

Ports, coolant conduits and portions of the coolant circuit may be numbered or referred to in a variety of ways with many variations. A number of different thermoelectric modules may be used, a number of coolant circuits may be used, a number of coolant-air heat exchangers and cold sink/reservoirs may be used, and these devices need not be used in a one to one relationship to each other, as the device of the invention removes the thermoelectric module from the air passageways and thus provides for a wide range of embodiments. In alternative embodiments, one thermoelectric module may be used with several heat exchangers/heat sinks, or one heat exchanger/heat sink may be used with several thermoelectric modules, one thermoelectric module may cool one coolant circuit or several, one coolant circuit may be cooled by several thermoelectric modules and so on. A number of coolant-air heat exchangers may be used in a single coolant circuit or a single coolant circuit may feed several coolant-air heat exchangers, and so on.

The disclosure is provided to allow practice of the invention by those skilled in the art without undue experimentation, including the best mode presently contemplated and the presently preferred embodiment. Nothing in this disclosure is to be taken to limit the scope of the invention, which is susceptible to numerous alterations, equivalents and substitutions without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention. The scope of the invention is to be understood from the appended claims. 

1. A vehicle engine air cooling device comprising: an engine air conduit having a first heat exchanger disposed therein with such engine air passing across the first heat exchanger; a first coolant flow circuit having first and second portions, the first portion of the first coolant flow circuit contacting the first heat exchanger; and a first thermoelectric device, the second portion of the first coolant flow circuit having a contacting the first thermoelectric device.
 2. The engine air cooling device of claim 1, wherein the first thermoelectric device further comprises: a hot side and a cool side, wherein the second portion of the first coolant flow circuit contacts the cool side of the first thermoelectric device.
 3. The engine air cooling device of claim 1, wherein the first heat exchanger further comprises: inlet and outlet ports, the inlet port and the outlet port operatively connected by the first portion of the first coolant flow circuit.
 4. The engine air cooling device of claim 3, wherein the first thermoelectric device further comprises: at least one electricity supply line.
 5. The engine air cooling device of claim 4, further comprising: a first coolant return line from the outlet port of the heat exchanger to an inlet port of the first thermoelectric device.
 6. The engine air cooling device of claim 5, further comprising: a first coolant feed line from an outlet port of the first thermoelectric device to the inlet port of the first heat exchanger.
 7. The engine air cooling device of claim 1, wherein the first thermoelectric device is disposed remote from the engine air conduit.
 8. The engine air cooling device of claim 2, further comprising: a heat sink disposed on the hot side of the first thermoelectric device.
 9. The engine air cooling device of claim 1, further comprising: a second heat exchanger disposed on the cool side of the first thermoelectric device.
 10. The engine air cooling device of claim 1, wherein the engine air conduit further comprises one member of group consisting of: air intake, air intake scoop, air intake ram, air filter, carburetor, intercooler, chargecooler, supercharger, turbocharger, other engine air ducts and combinations thereof.
 11. The engine air cooling device of claim 1, further comprising: a second thermoelectric module and a third portion of the first coolant flow circuit, the third portion of the first coolant flow circuit contacting the second thermoelectric device.
 12. The engine air cooling device of claim 1, a second thermoelectric module and a second coolant flow circuit, the second coolant flow circuit having a first portion contacting the second thermoelectric device.
 13. The engine air cooling device of claim 1, further comprising: a second heat exchanger in the engine air conduit.
 14. The engine air cooling device of claim 1, further comprising: a coolant reservoir operatively connected to the first coolant flow circuit and having a first state in which cooled coolant is stored in the coolant reservoir and having a second state in which cooled coolant is taken from the reservoir to the first heat exchanger.
 15. A method of cooling vehicle engine air, the method comprising the steps of: a) contacting a coolant with the cool side of a thermoelectric device having hot and cool sides; b) contacting the coolant with a coolant-gas heat exchanger; c) contacting engine air with the coolant-gas heat exchanger.
 16. The method of claim 15, further comprising: d) recirculating the coolant from the coolant-gas heat exchanger to the cool side of the thermoelectric device.
 17. The method of claim 15, further comprising: e) storing coolant cooled by the thermoelectric device in step a) for a period of time prior to contacting the coolant with the coolant-gas heat exchanger in step b).
 18. An improved engine air cooler comprising: a thermoelectric device; a coolant circuit having a first portion contacting the thermoelectric device and having a second portion disposed in an engine air path. 